Sen. Trey Paradee

Maddy summaryThis bill updates overtime pay rules for non-exempt employees working for the Delaware Department of Transportation. Starting July 1, 2024, these workers will receive time-and-a-half pay for any hours worked beyond 37.5 hours in a single week. The change applies specifically to the DOT and ensures that overtime compensation begins once an employee exceeds the standard 37.5-hour threshold.

In light of the Federal Drug Administration’s recent approval of over-the-counter non-emergency contraceptive pills, this bill expands the contraceptive coverage laws to include over-the-counter non-emergency contraceptive pills.

Early, sustained exposure to peanut and egg proteins in the infant diet significantly reduces the risk that an infant will develop a peanut or egg allergy, saving lives and future health care costs. Following multiple clinical studies, the current guidance of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, which is followed by pediatricians, recommends that by age 6 months, all infants should be introduced to both peanut and egg protein and that unless contraindicated, all infants should regularly consume peanut and well-cooked egg protein until they reach the age of 1 year, to reduce the risk of developing peanut or egg allergies. This Act requires that all health insurance plans subject to requirements under Delaware law, including Medicaid, provide coverage, at no cost when prescribed to infants, of at least 1 early peanut allergen introduction dietary supplement and at least 1 early egg allergen introduction dietary supplement. This Act applies to all policies, contracts, or certificates issued, renewed, modified, altered, amended, or reissued after December 31, 2025.

This Act ensures that educators hired after the effective date of this Act, who earned graduate degrees prior to becoming educators, receive credit on the salary schedule for those degrees regardless of the specific subject area of those degrees. Once an individual is employed as an educator, in order to receive credit for any graduate degrees earned after that time, such degree must be in the subject area in which the educator is employed.

This Act repeals the DELJIS Fund fee imposed on criminal defendants. The elimination of this fee was recommended by the Criminal Legal System Imposed Debt Study Group created by House Bill 244, as amended by House Amendment No 2, of the 151st General Assembly, in its December 7, 2023 report. Any outstanding balances owed for this fee shall be discharged upon the Act’s effective date. Per the Study Group’s recommendation, the Act will become effective upon the specific appropriation of General Fund monies to replace DELJIS’s full spending authority of the repealed fee.

This Act repeals the Senior Trust Fund Fee, the Interstate Compact Fee, and the Substance Abuse, Rehabilitation, Treatment, Education and Prevention Fund Fee imposed on criminal defendants. The elimination of these fees was recommended by the Criminal Legal System Imposed Debt Study Group created by House Bill 244, as amended by House Amendment No 2, of the 151st General Assembly, in its December 7, 2023 report. The Criminal Legal System Imposed Debt Study Group also recommended replacement of lost revenue for affected agencies as needed with General Funds. In repealing these fees, the General Assembly also intends to eliminate any outstanding balances owed on these fees.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Delaware's real estate tax laws to exempt the 2% realty transfer tax on contracts for building affordable housing units. The exemption specifically applies when the construction is funded by the federal government, the state, or local counties and municipalities. By removing this tax fee, the legislation aims to lower costs for developers working on government-financed affordable housing projects. The law defines "affordable housing units" using the existing legal definition found in Title 30 of the Delaware Code.

For over 30 years, the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) has invested in home repair programs that make necessary repairs to improve the health and safety conditions in the homes of Delawareans. This Act codifies a “Housing Repair and Modification Fund,” which will be administered by DSHA and serve low- and very-low income homeowners in need of home repair assistance.

This Act allows a county that imposes a lodging tax to spend money from that tax on workforce and affordable housing programs. This bill also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act establishes the “Delaware Workforce Housing Program" (DWHP). Modeled after the Downtown Development District Program, the DWHP allows a qualified workforce housing investor to be reimbursed through a grant up to 20 percent of the capital costs associated with workforce housing units they create. To be eligible for a grant, the project must be located in Investment Levels 1 and 2 as established by the Delaware Strategies for State Policies and Spending. A grant may not be awarded for a housing unit that also uses a federal low-income or state low-income housing tax credit. This program will be administered by the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) and requires the DSHA to provide an annual report on the effectiveness of the program. The Act provides the DSHA with the power to adopt regulations for the DWHP. The substitute bill differs from Senate Bill No. 22 by changing most references to the word “affordable” and replacing it with the word “workforce.” Accordingly, the substitute bill modifies “affordable housing unit” to “workforce housing unit” and modifies “qualified affordable housing investment” to “qualified workforce housing investment.” The change in terminology is to avoid confusion within the housing industry, where the word “affordable” is generally accepted to mean housing for a median income level of 80% and below. To be clear, this Act provides workforce housing for median income levels of 100% and below. References to “affordable” have been changed to “workforce” to reflect this distinction throughout the Act. The substitute further clarifies that, although DSHA may not award a DWH Grant for a housing unit that would also use a federal low-income or state low-income housing tax credit, DSHA may approve DWH Grants for workforce housing units in a multiple unit housing project so long as the DWH Grants are awarded to those specific units that do not use federal low-income or state low-income housing tax credits. The substitute allows for DSHA to use part of the allocations for the administrative costs of the DWHP.